4 bottles of 2008 Ch. La Providence on WineBid right now. Totally worth it.
For “off vintages” of Pomerol that are ready to drink, I like 2006. VCC, Trotanoy, L’Evangile, Le Conseillante, Eglise Clinet and some of the other Moeiux wines were strong in 2006.
Why do you think 2006 is an off vintage ?
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I hoped that the scare quotes would indicate that I personally do not think of 2006 as an off vintage in Pomerol. But, at the time of Primeur tasting, the critics in Europe did not rate 2006 BDX as highly as the vintage before it. Wein Gourmet even called 2006 a “durchschnittlicher Jahrgang” not worth buying as futures. Only a handful of critics were able to detect that the 2006 Pomerols were fully ripe by comparison to other appellations and worth seeking out.
Not worth buying as a future; correct. Future pricing is generally based on past vintages, and with all the love for 2005, prices for Bordeaux 2006 were ridiculously high.
Futures for the most part are a mug’s game, and there is no better example than the overpriced 2006 vintage. That is not to say it is not a decent enough vintage, and at the right price, the wines are rewarding, especially as they matured relatively early and are drinking very well now. I have found that the wines are particularly good on the Right Bank and Margaux.
The problem is that owing to the initial high pricing, a much smaller percentage was imported to the US; so low supply ensures highish prices.
I rather stupidly ignored my own advice and bought some 2006 futures since it was my youngest daughter’s birthyear. More fool me - 12 years later they were still cheaper! Mind you, in France at least, EP is seldom of any interest.
I quite agree that 06s are drinking well now - there are some which I much prefer to their more heralded counterparts in 2005.
To go back to the topic (sorry) - Gazin 2006 is drinking very well right now.
It’s hard to be super enthused about the 2012 La Croix de Gay [Pomerol] but it’s a fair example of a low/middle tier Pomerol. According to Stephen Brooks the property sold a key vineyard parcel to l’Evangile back in 2011, and this is my first taste of their wine after that, and from my very limited muscle/taste memory it doesn’t seem as full/round as select prior years. (I had their 2008 in October, which I thought was better) I had this over a couple of evenings, finding it slightly better on the second night, when it had aerated more, and showed a nose of forest, tobacco, earth. There is still a tannic edge, and “good” acid while the overall body is more light / medium which feels out of sync with the label’s 14% abv. For me, the palate is merlot / plum fruit, but the finish is average for the AOC. Lots of fine sediment in the last glasses. Natural cork.
I’d slot this into the B to B+ zone. Current releases run $45+ and although that’s one of the lower entry point prices for this AOC, it’s not a good value in my view. 1990 was the best vintage I tasted of this house that I recall.
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Hi all.
I enjoyed sifting through this post.
Pomerol is one of my favorite sections in Bordeaux. I’ve been making my way through a cross section of Chateaus and vintages.
For those that are fans, I am curious on the best sourcing methods targeting bottles with strong provenance.
I’m in the Bay Area - welcome suggestions on virtual options, local shops, or groups.
You’ve got Wine Berserkers champion JJ Buckley right near you, plus multiple K&L locations!
Chime in here, a little late, if you have any 2012!
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I would give a word of warning. Pomeral has not escaped the problems of climate change. If you want to see it, compare an old bottle of VCC preferably from the 90s, to one made from 2015 onwards. The good news is it the earlier bottles are priced close to the levels of the modern ones.
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and @Rich.M a word of advice - when it comes to Bordeaux, you’d be smart to follow the advice of Mark and @Robert.A.Jr who drink a LOT of it
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Thanks! Welcome the advice!
Oddly enough, we just popped a bottle of 2012 Hosanna a few weeks back with a group of friends. It was delightful!
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Only if you like the austere wines. If you prefer a modern style Bdx, look at what Mark and Alfert drink, and drink exactly the polar opposite 
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True, but Pomerol is expensive, and you are paying for the terroir as well as the label. Once you hit 14.5% alcohol consistently, you may still have the label, but you don’t have much terroir.